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Rumors surrounding the iPad 2 have been swirling for some time now. The latest rumors indicate the next iPad model will sport a higher resolution screen. The current iPad has a resolution of 1024x768 and 132 ppi. There has been much talk lately that Apple will be including a Retina Display (300 ppi) with the next iPad, but that is highly unlikely. A 9.7-inch screen with a resolution that high would be impractical. It’s far more likely that Apple will simply double the horizontal and vertical resolution as they did with the iPhone 4. The iPhone 3GS has a resolution of 480x320, while the iPhone 4’s screen was increased to 960x640.

Recently, a developer found artwork within version 1.1 of Apple’s iBooks app that was larger than typical iPad images. Upon closer inspection the image seemed to be pixel-doubled. Also, included with the image was another file labeled “iPadx2”. This image had also been pixel-doubled. It would seem that these images were accidentally included with the iBooks app and have since been removed from subsequent versions.

If the evolution of the iPhone screen is any indication, then the next iPad will have a screen that is 2048x1536 and a pixel density of about 260 ppi. This may not be quite as high quality as a Retina Display, but it is sure to be a welcomed improvement over the current iPad screen. Other rumors indicate that Apple will also be upgrading the processor of the next iPad. A new high-resolution screen would require a faster processor to operate and an upgraded GPU. If Apple sticks to its yearly refresh of iOS devices, then we’ll only have to wait until April to find out more.